Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy

Chapter 1308: Investigating the Tower

The five adventurers spent several moments staring at the tower before Viktor finally broke the silence.

“Leaving now would definitely be the safer choice.”

Nadezhda immediately nodded in agreement. “That’s what I’ve been saying.”

Arkady, however, shook his head. “Safer, perhaps. But we’d be abandoning the opportunity to investigate something that may never appear again.”

Anastasia crossed her arms and glanced at the enormous structure in the distance. “We don’t even know what we’re dealing with.”

“That’s true,” Arkady replied. “Which is why we should investigate.”

Nadezhda frowned. “And how exactly do you plan to do that? Walk through the front door and ask whoever owns that thing what it is?”

“That would be the most straightforward approach.”

“Arkady.”

The old mage laughed softly.

Zorin, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke. “We don’t have to enter the tower.”

Arkady turned toward him.

Zorin pointed toward the enormous black structure. “We can observe it from outside. We can determine whether it has defensive formations, identify the type of energy surrounding it, and see whether anything enters or leaves. If we discover something dangerous, we leave.”

Viktor considered his words for several seconds.

That was considerably more reasonable than simply walking into an unknown structure.

Nadezhda still looked unconvinced. “And if we discover something we can’t handle?”

“We retreat,” Viktor answered.

He looked at each member of the group before continuing.

“We just investigate the tower, but we don’t enter it. It’s not like there would be other people who would try it… If not us, who would? The moment we encounter something beyond what we can handle, we turn around and leave. There is no reason for us to risk our lives when we don’t even know what we’re looking at.”

Anastasia nodded. “Sounds reasonable.”

Zorin gave a small shrug. “I’m fine with it.”

Arkady smiled. “Obviously, I’m in.”

Everyone then turned toward Nadezhda.

She sighed deeply before finally raising her hands in surrender.

“Fine. I’ll go too.”

Viktor smiled. “Then it’s settled.”

The five adventurers quickly gathered their equipment and left the inn through the back entrance. They deliberately avoided the crowded streets, knowing that the appearance of the tower had already caused enough commotion throughout Atrium City.

They had no intention of attracting additional attention.

After leaving through one of the smaller western gates, they traveled several hundred meters away from the city before finally stopping on top of a low hill. From there, they had a clear view of the enormous black tower without being close enough to immediately trigger whatever defenses might surround it.

Viktor raised his hand.

“Stop here.”

Everyone halted.

Anastasia immediately removed her eyepatch. The moment her left eye was exposed, a faint silver glow appeared within her iris. She activated her enhanced vision and carefully examined the tower.

“The dark mist extends much farther than we originally thought,” she said.

“How far?” Viktor asked.

“Almost two hundred meters from the foundation.”

Viktor frowned. “Is it hiding anything?”

“I’m not sure.”

Anastasia squinted her eyes as she tried to see through the mist. “It’s interfering with my vision. I can clearly see the outer structure, but the deeper I try to look, the more difficult it becomes.”

Arkady stepped forward.

“Let me try.”

He reached into his coat and removed a small crystal before holding it between his fingers. A faint blue light appeared inside the crystal as he pointed it toward the tower.

The crystal immediately began vibrating.

Arkady’s expression changed.

“Interesting.”

Viktor glanced at him. “What did you find?”

“This tower isn’t simply releasing Dark Energy.”

Arkady stared at the crystal as it continued to tremble.

“It’s absorbing it.”

Nadezhda frowned. “From where?”

“Everywhere.”

Arkady gestured toward the surrounding landscape.

“The energy in the atmosphere is being drawn toward the tower. It’s happening slowly, but the process is continuous.”

Zorin looked toward the ground beneath their feet.

“So it’s… cultivating?”

“That… That’s possible.”

Arkady’s smile widened.

“Or it’s powering something.”

Nadezhda immediately gave him an irritated look.

“That’s not reassuring.”

Arkady ignored her and pulled another crystal from his coat. After placing it carefully on the ground, he activated a small formation around it.

The crystal began recording the energy fluctuations in the surrounding area.

Viktor continued watching the tower.

“What else can you determine?”

“The structure itself is ancient,” Arkady replied.

“Ancient?”

“Super ancient.”

He adjusted his spectacles while studying the tower.

“The materials are unlike anything I’ve encountered before. Some appear to be enchanted metal, while others resemble stone that has been infused with Dark Energy.”

Anastasia suddenly raised a hand.

“Movement.”

Everyone immediately became alert.

“Where?” Viktor asked.

Anastasia pointed toward the upper section of the tower.

“One of the balconies.”

They all looked in the same direction.

For several seconds, nothing happened.

Then a dark figure appeared on one of the balconies.

It was a humanoid figure clad entirely in black armor.

Nadezhda’s expression changed.

“Is that a person?”

Anastasia shook her head.

“No.”

The figure stood completely motionless for several seconds.

Then its head slowly turned toward them.

Even though they were several hundred meters away, all five adventurers felt a strange pressure pass through the air.

Viktor’s hand immediately moved toward his battle axe.

“Did it see us?”

Zorin narrowed his eyes.

“It did.”

The black figure remained on the balcony for several more seconds before suddenly disappearing.

Nobody spoke.

Even Arkady’s earlier excitement had faded as he continued staring at the empty balcony.

“That wasn’t a normal guard,” he finally said.

Viktor nodded.

“I know.”

Anastasia slowly replaced her eyepatch.

“There are more of them.”

Everyone turned toward her.

“How many?” Viktor asked.

“I can’t see all of them… But there are at least dozens.”

Nadezhda swallowed.

“Dozens?”

“And that’s only what I can detect from outside.”

The five adventurers exchanged glances.

They had come expecting to find a mysterious tower.

They hadn’t expected it to already contain an organized force.

Viktor looked toward the structure again.

“Anything else?”

Zorin suddenly crouched beside the ground.

He had noticed something near the edge of the tower’s territory.

“What is it?” Anastasia asked.